Wilson's free-agent value takes a hit

ST. LOUIS -- The best thing that could be said about C.J. Wilson's World Series Game 1 start at Busch Stadium?

It was better.

Better than the chatty lefthander's three previous starts this postseason. Better for the Rangers' chances to defeat the underdog Cardinals.

Better for Wilson's impending free agency, the elephant in the ballpark whenever he pitches.

Still, however, not good enough.

Wilson and the Rangers fell short to Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals, 3-2, Wednesday night to fall behind in this Fall Classic, 1-0. The game turned into the battle of the bullpens that folks anticipated, only the starters put in longer work shifts than these two clubs had become accustomed in their League Championship Series.

Carpenter threw six solid innings, allowing two runs and picking up the win; Wilson's last pitch came with the game still tied in the sixth. He pitched around Cardinals eighth hitter Nick Punto, walking him to put men on first and third and setting up a matchup of Texas reliever Alexi Ogando against Cardinals pinch hitter Allen Craig.

When Craig's line drive to right landed just outside the reach of the Rangers' Nelson Cruz, David Freese came home with what proved to be the winning run.

That dropped Wilson to 0-3 in four postseason starts, although his ERA in that juncture dipped from 8.04 to 7.17. In all, they're the sort of numbers that will not make an interested team say, "Hey, we gotta get this guy!"

"It ---- . It ---- ," Wilson said. "Like I sad, I'm here to win. I'm not here to lose . . . You just have to accept sometimes that the other team is really good."

The Cardinals do field an excellent offense, just like Wilson's own team, and Wilson did hang in there for the most part. He gave up four hits and struck out four in his 52/3 innings, and though he walked six and hit one, two of those walks were intentional and a third -- the free pass to Punto, just before he departed -- was an unintentional intentional walk.

"I thought C.J. did a good job tonight," said Rangers manager Ron Washington, who rightfully drew criticism when he used Esteban German over Yorvit Torrealba as a seventh-inning pinch hitter. "Yep, he may have walked some guys and he hit Albert [Pujols], but he was in a 2-2 game, and he was battling Carpenter."

"I was down, and they didn't really drive the ball off me," Wilson said. "In that case, if you're down and you're getting ground balls, keeping the ball in the ballpark, that's what you've got to do."

Ten of his 17 outs came on the ground. Not too bad.

"They're obviously a great offense," Wilson said of St. Louis' lineup, "so you just can't throw it down Broadway."

True, but a spotlight worthy of Broadway shines on Wilson, the best starting pitcher on the free-agent market after CC Sabathia (who will probably opt out of his current deal with the Yankees). And although he kept his team in the game, the viscerally minded will prioritize the loss. And will view him as a guy who can't pick up the win in a big spot.

As long as his team wins one of the next three games, Wilson will receive one more chance to audition for the entire industry. To make up for a very shaky month. To increase his price tag for a winter in which teams will be starving for a quality starting pitcher.

"Winning his final start in a Rangers uniform" sounds much better than "Winless October."